Are you considering homeschooling your child, but feeling overwhelmed by the thought? I’m so glad you are here. Let’s talk about the fears you have about homeschooling and identify some ways to overcome them and achieve homeschool success.
How Do I Homeschool When I Am Terrified?
I’ve seen the same question asked over and over in several Facebook groups and forums in which I participate.
“I really want to homeschool my kid, but I am terrified that I will mess him up.”
“I really want to homeschool my kids, but I am terrified I won’t be able to provide everything they need.”
“I really want to homeschool my kids, but I am terrified I will skip things and they will fall behind”
You Homeschool When You Are Terrified One Day At A Time
Perhaps I notice these questions, because I remember them all too well. It wasn’t that long ago that I was asking them myself.
However, after nearly 13 years of being a mom and more than 10 of those being engaged in homeschooling my child, I have learned that homeschooling is really just an extension of your parenting and it happens one day at a time.
I have had all of those thoughts and many more, but as a Christian, I know that the Lord calls parents to raise their children for His glory and that when He calls us to do something, He gives us every good thing we need to do it.
However, I also know, that He doesn’t give it to us all at once. It is day by day, precept by precept, line upon line.
You Homeschool When You Are Terrified by Identifying Your Fears And Tearing Them Down
Many mothers are absolutely terrified of being unable to give their children the education they desperately need.
As Christians, however, we have to address these fears from a Biblical perspective.
How many times does our Lord tell us to “fear not”?
The struggle I have with anxiety often boils down to two things:
- I am overwhelmed by the big picture
- I am not trusting the Lord for TODAY
Achieving homeschool success is a process that takes time.
As with parenting, homeschooling is precept upon precept, line upon line, and most days you will see very little fruit.
You have to accept that you won’t have it all figured out today or tomorrow or next week.
You have to take it as it comes and learn right alongside your children, but in time you will learn the skills you need.
Be sure to read some of the homeschool planning tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years.
By the way, I’m always still learning, scrapping things, adjusting, starting over, coming back to something, etc. etc.
As your sister in Christ, I urge you:
- First to repent of the anxiety that is holding you back from homeschooling
- Pray and ask the Lord to give you the courage and the strength you need to face each day one at a time.
You Homeschool When You Are Terrified By Memorizing Scripture
I encourage you to start a journal and write down the following things.
- Reasons you want to homeschool
- Objections to homeschooling
- What fears are holding you back from homeschooling?
- What Scriptures Can you memorize to help overcome these fears?
There are so many wonderful passages the Lord gives us to help in times of fear,. One of my favorites is Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
I’d love to hear about which verses you cling to in times of fear.
Be Encouraged Mom: You Are Uniquely Qualified To Homeschool
In Charlotte Mason’s, Home Education, Charlotte speaks about a mother’s obligation to give her children a “thinking love”.
Quoting a Swiss educational reformer of the 18th century names Pestalozzi, Mason says,
“The mother is qualified…and qualified by the Creator Himself, to become the principal agent in the development of her child…”
Charlotte Mason, Home Education p. 2
Charlotte explains that our children are given to us a whole persons with the faculties and nature to take on some service in life, but whose service remains the question.
Maternal love is the first agent that the Lord grants authority to educate the child in the way in which he or she should go.
It is my hope that all the resources I share as we walk this journey together will give you encouragement you need and restore the joy you seek in serving the Lord as a mother.
Beyond serving the Lord by raising my kids for His glory and seeking to be the wife my husband needs, I take a tremendous amount of joy in encouraging my sisters in Christ.
I particularly love to encourage moms of young kids because I have been there and I remember those desperate moments.
You must, however, obtain freedom from fear in order to homeschool and to do that, you must lay it at the Lord’s feet and trust HIM.
You are the mother He chose to train up your child.
He will equip you for every good work: especially the training and education of your child and help you to have a successful homeschool.